Glasses with reflective frame

ABSTRACT

A structure of reflective glasses includes a frame having a main front section with opposed side ends for supporting at least one lens, the frame further including a pair of side sections extending rearwardly from the respective opposed side ends of the main front section and at least one retroreflective element attached to each of the side sections to be visible by others in low-light conditions.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improvement on a structure ofglasses, and more particularly to a structure of glasses having a framewith attached retroreflective elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Safety glasses are used to protect users' eyes from injuries, forexample when participating in sports or while working. In some cases itis desirable to have safety glasses which are luminous or capable ofreflecting light. However, such reflective safety glasses are currentlynot popular in the marketplace. The light-reflective feature ofcurrently available safety glasses is not very effective due to thelimited outer surface of glasses frames and the limited light reflectingcapabilities of materials currently used with eyewear. It is alsodesirable to avoid interference with the user's vision, which may becaused by the reflection of the reflective elements of safety glassesinto the user's eyes.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved structure of reflectiveglasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a structure of reflective glasses which comprises a framehaving a main front section with opposed side ends for supporting atleast one lens, the frame further including a pair of side sectionsextending rearwardly from the respective opposed side ends of the mainfront section; and at least one retroreflective element attached to eachof the side sections to be visible in low-light conditions.

Optionally, the side sections may comprise a pair of arms pivotable withrespect to the main front section. Also optionally, each of the sidesections may comprise a base portion integrated with the main frontsection of the frame. Also optionally, at least one retroreflectiveelement may be attached to each of the arms and/or the integral baseportion of each side section.

Other aspects or features of the present invention will be betterunderstood with reference to the preferred embodiments describedhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way ofillustration the preferred embodiments thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of reflective safety glasses accordingto one embodiment, having openings in the arms to expose theretroreflective elements attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view the reflective safety glasses of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the reflective safety glasses of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reflective safety glasses takenalong line 4-4 in FIG. 2, showing an inner side of the arms withretroreflective element retaining members attached thereto;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the arms taken along line 5A-5A ofFIG. 3, showing a recess and opening defined in the arm, a retainingmember and a piece of retroreflective fabric received in the recess;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the arm taken along line 5B-5B ofFIG. 3, showing a rubber holder also functioning as a retroreflectiveelement retaining member;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of the arm similar to that of FIG. 5A,showing an alternative configuration in which a projecting element ofthe retaining member presses a portion of the retroreflective fabricinto the opening;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the reflective safety glassesaccording to another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the arm taken along line 7-7 of FIG.6, showing a recess defined in the outer side of the arm for receiving aretroreflective element therein; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of reflective safety glasses accordingto a further embodiment.

It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like featuresare identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5B, a structure of reflective safetyglasses 10 according to one embodiment generally includes a frame 12which for example may be made of a plastic material in a moldingprocess, having a main front section 14 with opposed side ends 16 forsupporting one or two lenses 18. The frame 12 further includes a pair ofside sections (not numbered) extending rearwardly from the respectiveopposed side ends 16 of the main front section 14. The rearwardlyextending side sections of the frame 14 according to this embodiment,are a pair of arms 20 pivotally joined to the respective opposed sideends 16 of the main front section 14 in a conventional manner. One ormore retroreflective elements are attached to each of the side sectionswhich are the respective arms 20 in this embodiment, such that theattached retroreflective elements are visible by others in low-lightconditions.

Retroreflective materials, such as 3M™ Scotchlight™ reflective materialproducts, use a technology to provide retroreflection which enables thehuman eye to perceive light in low-light conditions. In more scientificterms, retroreflection occurs when light rays are returned in thedirection from which they came. An electromagnetic wave front isreflected back by a reflection surface, along a vector that is parallelto but opposite in direction from the wave source. The retroreflectionsurface's angle of incidence is greater than zero. This is unlike otherconventional reflective surfaces such as a planar mirror, which does soonly if the mirror is exactly perpendicular to the wave front (a zeroangle of incidence). Retroreflective materials return a relatively largeamount of reflected light directly to the original light source, such asa car's headlights. Since very little light is scattered when the lightis returned, retroreflective materials appear brightest to an observerlocated near the original light source regardless of the observationangles. Therefore, retroreflective materials have been widely used forroad signs and on garments but have not been used with small objectslike eyewear.

In particular, the arms 20 of reflective safety glasses 10 each have alarge recess 22 and a small recess 24 defined in an inner side (notnumbered) of the arm 20. The large recess 22 is located near the jointedend and the small recess 24 is located near the free end of the arm 20.A piece of retroreflective fabric 26 which has reflective lenses bondedto a fabric backing to form a retroreflective surface, is placed withinthe respective recess 22, 24 with the retroreflective surface against arecess bottom (not numbered). Each of the recesses 22, 24 defines atleast one profiled opening (a plurality of profiled openings 28 in adesired design according to this embodiment), which extends from therecess bottom through the arm 20 to an outer side (not numbered) of thearm 20 to expose the retroreflective surface of the respectiveretroreflective fabric 26 in a desired design.

Retaining members 30, 32 are provided within the respective recesses 22,24 for retaining the retroreflective fabric 26 in place. Each of theretaining members 30, 32 is formed, for example with a base section (notnumbered) having first and second opposed sides (not numbered). Thefirst side of the base section substantially corresponds with thecontour of the recess bottom of the respective recesses 22, 24 to pressthe retroreflective fabric 26 against the recess bottom. The second sideof the base section of the retaining member 30 may be substantiallyflush with the inner side of the arm 20. The retaining member 32 may bemade of a soft material such as rubber to also function as a holdingelement of the arm 20 to hold the reflective safety glasses 10 in placeon the user's head. Therefore, the second side of the base section ofthe retaining member 32 may be made as a slight projection on the innerside of the arm 20 for a firm contact with a user's head.

In an alternative structure as shown in FIG. 5C, the retaining member 30may further include a projecting element 34 extending outwardly from thefirst side of the base section for pressing a portion of the piece ofretroreflective fabric 26 into the opening 28 towards the outer side ofthe arm 20. The number and profile of the projecting elements 34 of theretaining member 30 will correspond with the desired design of theopenings 28.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a structure of reflective safety glasses 10 aaccording to another embodiment. Reflective safety glasses 10 a includecomponents and features indicated by numerals similar to those ofreflective safety glasses 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4, and will not beredundantly described herein. The difference between the reflectivesafety glasses 10 a and reflective safety glasses 10 of FIGS. 1-4substantially lies in the attachment of retroreflective elementsthereto. Instead of having recess 22, 24 defined in the inner side ofthe respective arms 20 of reflective safety glasses 10 as shown in FIG.4, the reflective safety glasses 10 a have a profiled shallow recess 36defined in the outer side of each arm 20. A retroreflective element 26 asuch as a piece of retroreflective fabric having a shape substantiallysimilar to the profile of the shallow recess 36, is received within therecess 36 and is attached thereto by, for example adhesive appliedbetween the back of the retroreflective fabric and the recess bottom.The retroreflective surface of the fabric is therefore visible from theouter side of the arms 20.

Alternatively, the piece of retroreflective fabric used asretroreflective element 26 a in reflective safety glasses 10 a, may bereplaced by pieces of retroreflective film such as pressure-sensitiveadhesive film which can be conveniently attached to the recess bottomwithout applying additional adhesive. Transfer film may alsoalternatively be used as the retroreflective element 26 a. Retroflectiveinks may also alternatively be used as the retroreflective element 26 afor direct screen printing onto the recess bottom or at any location onthe outer side of the arms 20 for decorative reflective images.

The above-mentioned alternative retroreflective materials are availablein the market, and may be selected from, but not limited to 3M™Scotchlite™ reflective materials which may be used with the reflectivesafety glasses 10 and 10 a described herein. Any other suitableretroreflective materials may also be used as retroreflective elementsfor the reflective safety glasses.

FIG. 8 illustrates a structure of reflective safety glasses 10 baccording to a further embodiment. The reflective safety glasses 10 binclude the components and features indicated by numerals similar tothose of reflective safety glasses 10 of FIGS. 1-4 and will not beredundantly described herein. In the reflective safety glasses 10 ofFIGS. 1-4, the side sections of frame 12 generally include a pair ofarms 20 only, which are pivotally attached to the opposed side ends 16of the main front section 14. In contrast, the side sections of thereflective safety glasses 10 b each include a base portion 19 integratedwith the main front section 14, and extending rearwardly from therespective opposed side end 16 of the main front section 14 to provide aside shield affixed to the main front section 14 for better protectionfor the eyes of the user. The side sections may further include the arms20 which are pivotally joined to a rear end (not numbered) of therespective base sections 19. Alternatively, the side sections of theframe 12 may include the base sections 19 only. An elastic head strap(not shown) instead of the arms 20, may be attached to the base sections19 for holding the reflective safety glasses 10 b to the user's head ina goggles-type configuration. A retroreflective element 26 b is attachedto the base sections 19 using any suitable retroreflective materialswith any suitable configuration of the base sections (such as recesses,recesses with openings, a flat outer side surface, etc.), similar to ordifferent from those discussed above with reference to embodiments 10and 10a illustrated in FIGS. 1-5C and 6-7, respectively.

According to a further embodiment, retroreflective elements such as apiece of retroreflective fabric may be added to glasses frame structureduring molding formation processes of main front sections (if havingintegrated side sections) or individual arms.

The one or more retroreflective elements attached to side sections of aframe of a reflective safety glasses is visible by others in low-lightconditions. Those retroreflective elements attached to the safetyglasses can be observed from wide angles relative to the safety glassesand not only from a direction restricted to a right angle relative tothe reflective surface of the retroreflective elements on the glassesprovided the observer is near the light source Furthermore, thelocations of the retroreflective elements on the glasses will notinterfere with the user's vision through the lenses of the glasses as dothose located in the front section of the frame, as in some prior art.

The reflective safety glasses of the present invention may include othercomponents or features such as eye shields, face contact devices, etc.which are not part of this invention. Therefore, the principle ofattaching retroreflective elements to the side sections of a frame ofsafety glasses may be generally applicable to other types of glasses,and is not necessarily restricted to safety glasses.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to beexemplary only. Modifications and improvements to the above-describedembodiments of the present invention may become apparent to thoseskilled in the art in light of a review of this disclosure and areintended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A structure of reflective glasses comprising: a frame having a mainfront section with opposed side ends for supporting at least one lens,the frame further including a pair of side sections extending rearwardlyfrom the respective opposed side ends of the main front section; and atleast one retroreflective element attached to each of the side sections,the retroreflective element reflecting light rays of any incidenceangles along a vector parallel to but opposite in direction from asource of said light rays.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1wherein the side sections comprise a pair of arms pivotable with respectto the main front section.
 3. The structure as defined in claim 2wherein the at least one retroreflective element is attached to each ofthe arms.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein each of theside sections comprises a base portion integrated with the main frontsection.
 5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the at least oneretroreflective element is attached to the integral base portion of eachside section.
 6. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the atleast one retroreflective element is a piece of retroreflective fabric.7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein each of the side sectionscomprises a recess defined in an inner side thereof for receiving thepiece of retroreflective fabric, the recess defining an openingextending from a recess bottom through the side section to an outer sideof the side section to expose a functioning surface of the at least oneretroreflective element.
 8. The structure as defined in claim 7 whereineach of the side sections comprises a retaining member attached to theinner side for retaining the piece of retroreflective fabric in therecess.
 9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein the retainingmember comprises a base section received in the recess and having firstand second opposed sides, the first side substantially contoured tocorrespond with the recess bottom in order to allow the retroreflectivefabric to be pressed against the recess bottom.
 10. The structure asdefined in claim 9 wherein the second side of the retaining member issubstantially flush with the inner side of the respective side sections.11. The structure as defined in claim 9 wherein the retaining membercomprises a projecting element extending outwardly from the first sideof the base section for pressing a portion of the piece of theretroreflective fabric into the opening towards the outer side of theside section.
 12. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the atleast one retroreflective element is a piece of retroreflective highgloss material.
 13. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the atleast one retroreflective element is a piece of retroreflectivepressure-sensitive adhesive film.
 14. The structure as defined in claim1 wherein each of the side sections comprises a recess defined in anouter side thereof for receiving the at least one retroreflectiveelement.